Although rain is often inconvenient, it’s essential for growth.
I’ve been thinking about the rain a lot lately. We have been in months of drought with no end in sight. Everyone I work with has been diligently checking the weather hoping for a pop up storm. Even the tiniest chance of rain gives us hope, but the rain hasn’t come for a long time.
Then a couple of weeks ago, I went to an engagement party of the son of a dear friend. Most of the affair was planned outside. It began raining during the night. It rained buckets and it was cold. Plans were rearranged and the festivities were moved inside. It was a huge inconvenience.
After months of prayer, did we welcome the rain?
A week later, my hubby, my mama and I, attended a football game at our daughter’s college. We planned it a month ahead of time. The weather was supposed to be cloudy with a thirty percent chance of rain and mild. It poured for hours. We couldn’t even attend the game and the drive home was a miserable crawl.
This was the rain we had been praying for, but how did we feel about it when it ruined our game day plans?
My hubby was out of town for a few days for work this week and when I returned home from work the day he left, my garage door wouldn’t work. While not a huge deal, it began raining the next day.
I’ll have to admit that I wasn’t super happy to see it as I walked to my car in the dark rain at five in the morning holding a flashlight.
As I write this, the forecast for rain on Halloween is 100%. I’ve no doubt there are some stressed out mamas and daddies wondering what to do with their kiddos for trick-or-treat.
Like everyone else, they know we need the rain, but would likely prefer that it come at a more convenient time.
Most of us simply don’t like to be inconvenienced. Our culture has done a fabulous job at convincing that we should have everything we want the way we want it, when we want it.
But, God’s way is different and nature belongs to God.
Rain is important. The earth needs it to sustain life and to grow things.
The rain that falls in our personal lives is much the same. It often inconveniences us. It slows us down. It changes our plans, our priorities and often our perspective. Most importantly, it grows us.
We have to remember when we are in a period of growth and change that there’s usually rain involved. We need it to be transformed into something stronger and brighter. We need it to grow closer to Jesus on our journey here.
In the end, rain is life giving whether we welcome it or not. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂